I've had this problem with my secondary air flow system for a year and a half now. I've had it in for repairs, but there's one last component which is triggering the MIL to come on. It's some stupid part that won't affect the drivability or the fuel economy of the car. It just triggers an event to throw the MIL on. Autozone claims they aren't able to clear the code, so i just bought my own. I got the actron pocketscan plus for $79.99. Much better than the $400 useless repair job alternative. So, i cleared the code and stuff, but it has a usb port on the side and i can't seem to find any usb drivers around. Anyone have a clue where i can get some, or if they're generic drivers that comes with a free diagnostic program for xp or vista?
And before I hear the old "you blew 80 bucks when you could have unplugged the negative terminal" BS, I know that. This is what i've been doing for the past year, till there was about a 2 inch arc that I didn't feel like dealing with. I'd rather spend the money to clear the codes correctly than fry my computer or explode myself and my car.
Anyone got any suggestions on the drivers or free diagnostics software with drivers included? There's nothing at the actron website.
Full Version: I went and bought an OBD-II scanner
Does anything happen when you plug it into the USB port?
QUOTE (Just Jack @ May 26 2008, 11:44 AM) 
Does anything happen when you plug it into the USB port?
it gives the "please insert disc with drivers" thing. so it won't just plug and play with windows native drivers. I'm sure i'm going to have to find some freeware or buy some program.
QUOTE (Just Jack @ May 26 2008, 12:29 PM)
That doesn't work. Oh well, i'll have to be satisfied just being able to clear out my codes. If i wanted more, i should have dropped $150 on a good one.
QUOTE (Corp000085 @ May 26 2008, 11:38 AM)
I've had this problem with my secondary air flow system for a year and a half now. I've had it in for repairs, but there's one last component which is triggering the MIL to come on. It's some stupid part that won't affect the drivability or the fuel economy of the car. It just triggers an event to throw the MIL on. Autozone claims they aren't able to clear the code, so i just bought my own. I got the actron pocketscan plus for $79.99. Much better than the $400 useless repair job alternative. So, i cleared the code and stuff, but it has a usb port on the side and i can't seem to find any usb drivers around. Anyone have a clue where i can get some, or if they're generic drivers that comes with a free diagnostic program for xp or vista?
And before I hear the old "you blew 80 bucks when you could have unplugged the negative terminal" BS, I know that. This is what i've been doing for the past year, till there was about a 2 inch arc that I didn't feel like dealing with. I'd rather spend the money to clear the codes correctly than fry my computer or explode myself and my car.
Anyone got any suggestions on the drivers or free diagnostics software with drivers included? There's nothing at the actron website.
And before I hear the old "you blew 80 bucks when you could have unplugged the negative terminal" BS, I know that. This is what i've been doing for the past year, till there was about a 2 inch arc that I didn't feel like dealing with. I'd rather spend the money to clear the codes correctly than fry my computer or explode myself and my car.
Anyone got any suggestions on the drivers or free diagnostics software with drivers included? There's nothing at the actron website.
Install one of these...
http://www.jcwhitney.com/Battery-Switches-...CFQQmGgodFnv_Dg
Speaking of BS - it helps when you seek free advice if you mention the make, model, model year, as-equipped, etc., in question...unless it's all about stylin' and profilin'...
QUOTE (stuckincincy @ May 27 2008, 09:37 AM)
Install one of these...
http://www.jcwhitney.com/Battery-Switches-...CFQQmGgodFnv_Dg
Speaking of BS - it helps when you seek free advice if you mention the make, model, model year, as-equipped, etc., in question...unless it's all about stylin' and profilin'...
http://www.jcwhitney.com/Battery-Switches-...CFQQmGgodFnv_Dg
Speaking of BS - it helps when you seek free advice if you mention the make, model, model year, as-equipped, etc., in question...unless it's all about stylin' and profilin'...
its a 2000 vw passat with the 1.8l turbo 4 cylinder. I just want the damn light to go away so i can sell the car next year and get a new one. It's not the light that's really the problem. it's the annoying chime that's the real problem. Oh well. As for the battery disconnect, i put one on my friend's car once. He had an electrical problem that was draining the battery and the switch was way cheaper than actually having someone look at it.
QUOTE (Corp000085 @ May 27 2008, 08:38 PM)
its a 2000 vw passat with the 1.8l turbo 4 cylinder. I just want the damn light to go away so i can sell the car next year and get a new one. It's not the light that's really the problem. it's the annoying chime that's the real problem. Oh well. As for the battery disconnect, i put one on my friend's car once. He had an electrical problem that was draining the battery and the switch was way cheaper than actually having someone look at it.
What is a "MIL"? "Motor Information Light"? What kind of error does it report?
You might want to search edmund's Passat forum to see if anything pop up...
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0e6053
QUOTE (stuckincincy @ May 28 2008, 09:38 AM)
What is a "MIL"? "Motor Information Light"? What kind of error does it report?
You might want to search edmund's Passat forum to see if anything pop up...
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0e6053
You might want to search edmund's Passat forum to see if anything pop up...
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0e6053
p0411 which is the secondary air pump system. i've had the pump replaced, a solenoid part, and now it's some other part associated with the secondary air pump. i'm basically not going to get it fixed since i'm going to be in the market for a new car soon.
QUOTE (Corp000085 @ May 29 2008, 06:34 AM)
p0411 which is the secondary air pump system. i've had the pump replaced, a solenoid part, and now it's some other part associated with the secondary air pump. i'm basically not going to get it fixed since i'm going to be in the market for a new car soon.
What does this "secondary air pump" do?
Back up an EGR pump? Part of the HVAC scheme? Something to do with the turbo? What vehicle system needs a back-up pump assembly? Folks are willing to help on this forum, but you do a poor job of depicting in the first place, what the heck the problem is...
QUOTE (stuckincincy @ May 29 2008, 05:51 PM)
What does this "secondary air pump" do?
Back up an EGR pump? Part of the HVAC scheme? Something to do with the turbo? What vehicle system needs a back-up pump assembly? Folks are willing to help on this forum, but you do a poor job of depicting in the first place, what the heck the problem is...
Back up an EGR pump? Part of the HVAC scheme? Something to do with the turbo? What vehicle system needs a back-up pump assembly? Folks are willing to help on this forum, but you do a poor job of depicting in the first place, what the heck the problem is...
cincy, i wasn't trying to get help with my car. just the reader. I wanted to know if there was some way to read out the codes on the computer or get a more extensive readout by using a computer program.
as for the secondary air pump system: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_air_injection
Last year i replaced the actual pump. This year i replaced a solenoid on the pump, and now the throttle at the end of the pump that opens up is causing a misread in the computer cause it's a sensitive part. Basically, it sticks sometimes, but not all the time, so it doesn't need to be replaced but it still will cause the light to come on. Unfortunately, if you get a normal reader, it will just tell you P0411, which is the secondary air pump system... You have to have it plugged into the expensive computer program to get the individual fault codes to break down what the actual problem is with the system.
If you don't have the actual pump working, your car starts a little rough, but it doesn't really have any affect on driveability at all, nor does it have a noticeable affect on gas mileage. It just makes the emissions on the car a little worse for the environment till the car gets warmed up. It also causes you to fail inspections! Stupid VW... But hey, at least i have a glove compartment that has an a/c duct in it, making it dual as a beer fridge for those long days on the autobahn.
QUOTE (Corp000085 @ May 30 2008, 05:49 AM)
cincy, i wasn't trying to get help with my car. just the reader. I wanted to know if there was some way to read out the codes on the computer or get a more extensive readout by using a computer program.
as for the secondary air pump system: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_air_injection
Last year i replaced the actual pump. This year i replaced a solenoid on the pump, and now the throttle at the end of the pump that opens up is causing a misread in the computer cause it's a sensitive part. Basically, it sticks sometimes, but not all the time, so it doesn't need to be replaced but it still will cause the light to come on. Unfortunately, if you get a normal reader, it will just tell you P0411, which is the secondary air pump system... You have to have it plugged into the expensive computer program to get the individual fault codes to break down what the actual problem is with the system.
If you don't have the actual pump working, your car starts a little rough, but it doesn't really have any affect on driveability at all, nor does it have a noticeable affect on gas mileage. It just makes the emissions on the car a little worse for the environment till the car gets warmed up. It also causes you to fail inspections! Stupid VW... But hey, at least i have a glove compartment that has an a/c duct in it, making it dual as a beer fridge for those long days on the autobahn.
as for the secondary air pump system: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_air_injection
Last year i replaced the actual pump. This year i replaced a solenoid on the pump, and now the throttle at the end of the pump that opens up is causing a misread in the computer cause it's a sensitive part. Basically, it sticks sometimes, but not all the time, so it doesn't need to be replaced but it still will cause the light to come on. Unfortunately, if you get a normal reader, it will just tell you P0411, which is the secondary air pump system... You have to have it plugged into the expensive computer program to get the individual fault codes to break down what the actual problem is with the system.
If you don't have the actual pump working, your car starts a little rough, but it doesn't really have any affect on driveability at all, nor does it have a noticeable affect on gas mileage. It just makes the emissions on the car a little worse for the environment till the car gets warmed up. It also causes you to fail inspections! Stupid VW... But hey, at least i have a glove compartment that has an a/c duct in it, making it dual as a beer fridge for those long days on the autobahn.
Wow... That would suck in Illinois if you went for your emissions testing and the light was on or just cleared... Automatic failure till you fixed the problem... If you have emissions testing, hope you can clear it and keep it cleared and not sticking.
What does VW say about correcting it permanently??
Did you ever get the threads on the hose bibb squared away? Sounds like you are having a run of "creative" engineering situations...
QUOTE (Corp000085 @ May 30 2008, 06:49 AM)
cincy, i wasn't trying to get help with my car. just the reader. I wanted to know if there was some way to read out the codes on the computer or get a more extensive readout by using a computer program.
as for the secondary air pump system: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_air_injection
Last year i replaced the actual pump. This year i replaced a solenoid on the pump, and now the throttle at the end of the pump that opens up is causing a misread in the computer cause it's a sensitive part. Basically, it sticks sometimes, but not all the time, so it doesn't need to be replaced but it still will cause the light to come on. Unfortunately, if you get a normal reader, it will just tell you P0411, which is the secondary air pump system... You have to have it plugged into the expensive computer program to get the individual fault codes to break down what the actual problem is with the system.
If you don't have the actual pump working, your car starts a little rough, but it doesn't really have any affect on driveability at all, nor does it have a noticeable affect on gas mileage. It just makes the emissions on the car a little worse for the environment till the car gets warmed up. It also causes you to fail inspections! Stupid VW... But hey, at least i have a glove compartment that has an a/c duct in it, making it dual as a beer fridge for those long days on the autobahn.
as for the secondary air pump system: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_air_injection
Last year i replaced the actual pump. This year i replaced a solenoid on the pump, and now the throttle at the end of the pump that opens up is causing a misread in the computer cause it's a sensitive part. Basically, it sticks sometimes, but not all the time, so it doesn't need to be replaced but it still will cause the light to come on. Unfortunately, if you get a normal reader, it will just tell you P0411, which is the secondary air pump system... You have to have it plugged into the expensive computer program to get the individual fault codes to break down what the actual problem is with the system.
If you don't have the actual pump working, your car starts a little rough, but it doesn't really have any affect on driveability at all, nor does it have a noticeable affect on gas mileage. It just makes the emissions on the car a little worse for the environment till the car gets warmed up. It also causes you to fail inspections! Stupid VW... But hey, at least i have a glove compartment that has an a/c duct in it, making it dual as a beer fridge for those long days on the autobahn.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1469558
Aftermarket readers are limited. The factories expend a lot of effort and money on their software for all the myraid chips and bus lines in a modern car. There have been attempts by this or that cheesy legislator jumping in front of a populist parade to force them to fork over their paid-for work, but so far, courts have said - correctly, IMO - sorry... it is their property, it is a trade secret.
QUOTE (stuckincincy @ May 30 2008, 12:58 PM)
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1469558
Aftermarket readers are limited. The factories expend a lot of effort and money on their software for all the myraid chips and bus lines in a modern car. There have been attempts by this or that cheesy legislator jumping in front of a populist parade to force them to fork over their paid-for work, but so far, courts have said - correctly, IMO - sorry... it is their property, it is a trade secret.
Aftermarket readers are limited. The factories expend a lot of effort and money on their software for all the myraid chips and bus lines in a modern car. There have been attempts by this or that cheesy legislator jumping in front of a populist parade to force them to fork over their paid-for work, but so far, courts have said - correctly, IMO - sorry... it is their property, it is a trade secret.
figures... in 10 years, we'll all be fighting for cars with linux on them. Yay for open source!
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